Apparatus for marking wire



3, 1933- c. P. BEROLZHEIMER ET AL 1,921,300

APPARATUS FOR MARKING WIRE Filed Feb. 11, 1931 s Sheets-Sheet 1 /a/ ma 3 (92 a; 75 I j V f 74 W i r I 72 O 75 9' W 12+ wi F C ,9 INVENTORS. 2 AW 1 ank/1% A TTORNEYJ 1933- c. P. BEROLZHEIMER ET AL 1,921,800

APPARATUS FOR MARKING WIRE Filed Feb. 11, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORJ. Cl w/.

BY W

ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 8, 1933. c. P. BEROLZHEIMER ET AL 1,921,800

APPARATUS FOR MARKING WIRE Filed Feb. 11, 1931 s Sheets-Sheet s 0 62 59 68 E 1'9 1 3' rg i 5.

INVENTORS.

c UQA-ZMg A TTORNEYS thereon,

Patented Aug. 8, 1933 V e 1,921,800

UNITED STATES PATENT; oF cE APPARATUS FOR MARKING WIRE Clarence P. Berolzheimer, Chicago Heights, 111., and Karl'H. Andren, Milwaukee, Wis.; said Andi-en assignor to said Berolzheimer Application February 11, 1931. Serial No. 515,001

18 Claims. (01. 153-1) The present invention relates in general to im- In the accompanying drawings illustrating one provements in the art of protecting manufacturers complete embodiment of the preferredformof againstunscrupulous imitation of their products, the invention, in which the same referencenuand relates more specificallyto an improved apmeralsdesignate the same parts in all of the 5 paratus forapplying identifying markers such as views: r r metal tabs to wire or other elongated material. Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the im- The use of inferior poorly insulatedwire in the proved apparatus; electrical circuits of buildings is one of the most Fig. 2 is a part sectional view taken on line common of present day firehazards. Where wire 2-2 of Fig; 1, parts being broken away; L

of this type is employed, short-circuiting is in Fig.3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on 65 time very likely to occur with the resulting arcing line 33 of Fig. 1; v of electrical current, and the dangers attendant Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line,4-4 therewith. As a precautionary measurethe inof Fig. 3; v surance underwriters have established certain Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional requirements as to the properties of the wire used, vieW' showing the slide in a position just after 7 and as to the degree of insulation, which requireit has bent the end of the metal strip over the ments must be met by the owner of a building wire; V who desires to obtain fire insurance upon his Fig. 6 is a similar view showingthe slide in property. Under present day practice, however, its extreme position, of advancement after the it is verydiflicult' for the average individual who strip has been severed and completely bent 75 purchases odd lots of wire to ascertain whether around the wire; or not wire which has been obtained meets the ,Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view required standards, and this makes it possible for taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 1;,

unscrupulous manufacturers to offer to the public Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional detail view taken I products of inferior quality. on line 8-8 of Fig. 1; and so It istherefore one of the objects of this inven- Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion tion to provide new and useful apparatus for of the rotor showing the raised plate thereon. facilitating the application of identifying markers Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 or tabs to wire or other elongated articles. designates a suitable supporting platform having A more specific object of the invention is to mounted thereona supporting portion 11 pro-.

provide an improved apparatus which is arvided with an upright housing 12. An electric ranged to advance the wire longitudinally and to motor 13 which depends from a suitable. supaflix identifying markers or tabs to the wire port secured to the lower side of the platform top I while it is being advanced. is connected by means of an endless belt 14 with 35 Another specific object of the invention is to a pulley 15 mounted on one end of a horizontally co provide an improved apparatus for marking wire extending shaft 16, said shaft being journaled which is adapted to apply the tabs and markers through the lower portion of the housing 12. The at fixed, equally spaced intervals upon the wire. other end of the shaft 16 carries a rigidly mount- Still another specific object of the invention ed pulley 17 and an intermediate portion ofsaid is to provide an apparatus in which the wire to be shaft carries a worm 18. marked is fed over a rotor and in whichsaid rotor The worm 18 engages a' worm wheel 19 mounted is provided with mechanism for automatically rigidly on a shaft 20, the latter being journaled aflixing a tab or marker to the Wire'at each revoluat right angles to the shaft 16 in a bearing 21 tion of the rotor, or at other definite intervals. and in a bearing 22 in the housing12. The in- 45 Other objects of the invention reside in the ner end of the shaft 20 has rigidly mounted thereprovision of an improved apparatus for markon a rotor 23 (see Fig. 3),'said rotor having its ing wire which is adapted to firmly affix the rear wall formed with a circular, opening which markers to the wire, to carry out the operation surrounds a circular plate 24 carried by the side in an expeditious manner and to otherwiseefiiof the housing '12, said plate being formedwith 50 ciently produce the desired result. y a substantially oval cam groove 25 therein.

With the above andother'objects in view, the Extending toward the front of. the rotor is a invention consists of the improved apparatus for support 26, through which a pin 2,7 extends, said marking wire, and all its parts and combinations; pin supporting a reel 28 for carrying in rolled as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents form an elongated Strip of 1119391129 other ma l terial to .be used for marking, the wire.

Mounted in a slot 36 formed in the rotor 23 are slidable blocks 31 and 32, one of said blocks being movable on one side of the shaft and the other block being movable on the other side thereof. The said blocks have extending rearwardly therefrom rods 33 and 34 respectively on theends of which are mounted rollers 35 and 36 which ride in the cam groove of the stationary circular plate 24. It may thus be seen that upon revolution of the rotor 23 that the slidable blocks 31 and 32 will be moved back and forth in the slot due to the engagement of the rollers and 36 with the cam groove 25.

The block 31 has pivotally secured thereto one end of a link 37. The other end of said link is pivoted to an extension 38 of a member 39 which loosely surrounds a short shaft 49 journaled in a bearing 41. The said member 39 is provided with another extension 42 which carries a yield ingly and pivotally mounted dog 43 (see Figs '7 and 8). The said dog is engageable with a ratchet wheel 44 which is fixed to the shaft 49. The shaft also carries a fixed. roller 40, and a fixed gear 45 in front of said roller. The gear 45 meshes with another gear 46 mounted on a shaft 47 extending parallel to the shaft 49. The shaft 4'7 carries a fixed roller 48 which acts in conjunction with the roller 40' on the shaft 49 to feed the strip 29 therebetween. The shaft 4'7 is journaled in a bearing member 49 depending from a yieldingly mounted trigger controlled slide 50. The said slide is movable on a pin 51 extending through a longitudinal bore thereof, the'inner end of said pin being fixed to a portion of the rotor and the outer end having a coil spring 51' extending therearound. By moving the trigger 52' outwardly to move the slide on the pin against the tension of the coil spring 51, the rollers for feeding the strip 29 may be slightly separated from one another to permit the ready insertion of the strip of material therebetween when the device is being prepared for operation. An extension 51 from the bearing 41 carries a yieldingly pivoted dog 52 which also engages the ratchet wheel 44.

From the above it may be seen that when the link 37 is pulled downwardly by slidable movement of the block 31, that there will be a pull upon the extension 33 and a partial rotation of the member 39 on the shaft 40. Due to the fact that the extension 42 is integral with the member 39 the dog 43 carried thereby will cause turning of the ratchet wheel 44 and also turning of the shaft 49 to which said ratchet wheel is affixed. This in turn will cause rotation of the roller 40 on the shaft 40, and through the gears 45 and 46 simultaneous rotation of the roller 48 on the shaft 47 and feeding of a definite length of the strip 29 outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3. When the slidable block 31 is moved in the other direction, the dog 43 will slip over the teeth of the ratchet wheel 44 and said ratchet wheel will at the same time be kept from rotation by the engagement of the other dog 52 therewith.

The strip of material will be guided upwardly between a channel-shaped guiding member 53 and a complementary guiding member 54 which fits within the channel 53. The guide 54 is suitably connected with the slide 59, so that when the trigger 52' is moved outwardly to separate the rollers, the guides 53 and 54 are also separated to facilitate threading of the strip 29 therethrough. v

The slidable block 32 is provided with a recess 55 therein which is engaged by one end of a bell crank 56. The latter is pivoted to the rotor as at 57 and has its other end pivoted as at 58 to one end of a link 59. The other end of the link is pivotally connected to the end of an adjust ment member 60 which is threaded in the outer end of a slide 61. The slide 61 is movable in a slot 62 which extends transversely through'the rotor near the periphery thereof. The inner end of the slide has its lower surface formed with a recessed portion 63 and with a cutting edge 64. Supported by the rotor near the slide 61 are adjustably mounted guiding fingers 65. which extend inwardly at an angle.

The periphery of the rotor near the front thereof is formed with a pair of spaced apart grooves 66 and 67 for receiving the wire or cord which is to be marked. The grove v66 curves nearer to the groove 67 at a point on the periphery adjacent the slide 61 as shown in Fig. 4 and at this point the groove guides the wire to position in a tool 68, said tool having. a substantially semi-circular recess 69 formed on the inner edge thereof.

Upon rotation of the rotor, and movement of the block 32 due to the action of the roller 36 in the cam groove 25, the bell crank lever 56 will be rocked and through the link connection 53 will cause outward movement of the slide 61 from the position shown in Fig. 3. When said slide has moved half way out it will assume the position shown in Fig. 5, having bent the upper end of the strip 29 over the cord 'lO. Upon further movement the knife edge 64 of the slide will severthe strip of material 29 and through the cooperation of the recess 63 in the slide 61 and the recess 69 in the tool 68 will cause a clamping of the strip around the cord, as shown in Fig. 6. The slide will then withdraw, after which a new length of the strip 29 is projected from the strip guides.

The pulley 1'] on an end of the shaft 16 is connected by means of an endless belt 71 with a pulley 72 mounted on a lower shaft 73. The latter shaft carries a rigidly mounted gear '14 which meshes with a gear '15 mounted on another shaft '76 for carrying a winding reel '77. The shaft 76 is journaled inbearings 78 and is removably held in position in said bearings by slidable keys 79. The winding reel is connected to the shaft so as to be driven by the same through a pin 80 on an arm 31, said pin engaging an aperture in a side of the reel.

Another shaft 82, journaied in bearings 83 in alinement with the shaft 76 carries a reel 84 con- The shaft 82 is also removably held in the bearings by means of keys 85 similar to the keys 79. The inner end of the shaft 82 carries a fixed brake drum 86 which is normally yieldingly engaged by a pivoted drag member 87 to retard the rotation of the shaft 82.

The shaft 73 also carries a fixed pulley 88 which is connected by an endless belt 39 with another pulley 90 mounted rigidly on a shaft 91. The said shaft has formed thereon a reversing screw 92 which when rotated is capable of moving a guiding member 93 back and forth. The said guide is provided with extension 95 having a bifurcated end 96 which engages and rides back and forth along a shaft 97. r

The cord which is to be marked is unwound from the reel 84, passed behind a guiding pulley 98, around the upper portion of the rotor in the inner grooves 66, around a pulley 99, again around normally engageable with the cord or wire'posi 67 and over which the wire or cord extends.

' the plate108 and the pressing rollers 102 to cause additional pressing of the tabs in position. The

reel. 7 v a The drag 8'7 engaging the brake drum 86 rethe rotor in the outer groove 67, in front of a guide pulley. 100, around the reciprocating guide 93 to the winding reel 77. a 1

Pivotally mounted on the upper end of the housing 12 is an arm 101 carrying on its outer end rollers 102,*which rollers have pliable peripheries tioned in the outer groove 67 of the rotor to firmly press the tabs which have been aflixed to the wire in position. The arm- 101 also has extending} therethrough near its outer end a shaft 103. carrying a crank 104 at one end and having. its other end connectable through an arm 105 withonef end of a link 106. The other end of the link is pivotally connected to an'extension 107 of the housing 12. .By rotation of the crank 104, the

rollers 102 can be readily moved to disengaged position when a wire or cord is being originally I reel 84-and will be drawn by the revolving rotor around the inner groove 66' thereof. When the rotor is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the movement of the block 32,'through the action of the roller 37 in the cam groove25 ,'wil cause the slide 61 to move from the position'shown in Fig.- 3 to the position shown in Fig. 6, severing, the end of the strip 29 and wrapping the same around the cord. Whenthis operation has been completed, and as the rotor continues to revolve, the. action of the other block 31, through the engagement of the roller 35 withthe cam groove 25 will act through the link 37to cause rotation of the strip feeding rollers and advancementof the strip to.

againextend the end thereof read for the next cutting and clamping operation.

It will thus be seen that .upon each revolution of the rotor one marker or tab willbe afiixedto the wire, and that said markers will he afilxed at standard intervals which correspond in length with the circumference of the rotor. The por tion of the'wire towhich the; tabs. have been affixed then passes around the pulley 99 andback to the rotor'around the outer groove 67 thereof. As this portion ofthe wire is carried around by rotation of the rotor it will be engaged between marked wire will then pass from the outer groove of the rotor' in front of the pulley 100 and around the guide 93 to the winding reel. Due to the'action of the reversing screw 92, the guide 93 will be reciprocated back and forth to cause an even winding of the marked. wire upon the winding tards the' unwinding of the reel 84 and prevents the formation of slack in the wire. The belt '71 which through the pulley 72, shaft 73, and gears 74 and '75 drives the winding reel is so adjusted that it can slip while imparting rotation to the pulley 72. This slipping is necessary in order to compensate for the varying diameter of the wind-' ing reel as the wire is wound thereon. 7

It is preferred to use a strip of metal for marking the wire, but it is to be understood that any to maintain the 3. In combination,

other suitable material may be employed. It is also to .be understoodthatthe improved' apparatusmay be utilized advantageously in marking any other elongated article of manufacture other than the wire or cord shown and described,and various other changes and modificationsmay ;be made in the apparatus without departing from'.

the spirit of theinvention as set forthf in the annexed claims,

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patentz :1..In combination; a. rotor, means fori gu iding a longitudinally advancingwire-over a portion of said rotor and againaround the rotor in a position laterally spaced'from the first position, means for initially clamping a marker about said wire in-its first position on the rotor, and other means engageable= with the, wire in its second position on the rotorfor additionally pressing the marker on the wire.

2..Incombination, arotor, aflpulley spacedfromsaidrotor, means forguiding a longitudinally advancing wire-over a .portionof said rotor,

around. said 'pulleyand again over a portion of the rotor in a position laterally spaced from its first position. thereon, and-means for clamping markers about said 'wire as itpasses over the rotor, said guiding means for the wire serving ing operation. 5 i

a rotor,;a pulley spacedfrom said rotor, means for guiding'a longitudinally advancing .wire over a portion of said rotor, around said pulley and again over a portion of the rotor in a position laterally spacedfrom its first position, means for initially clamping a'marker about said .wirexin its first position on the rotor, and

otherwmeans engageable withthe wire in :itssec-fl end position on the rotor foradditionally pressing the markers on the wire.-

4. In combination, a, rotorengageable with a longitudinally advancing wire, means for initially l clamping markers about saidwire as'itpasses proper tension during the clamp r r overthe rotor, -a:roller engageable with ,the'wire after it. has been marked, andmeans on the rotorcooperable with said roller in additionally pressing the markers on the wire.

Y 5. In combination, amovable member engageable with a longitudinally advancingzwire, means for initially clamping markers about said wire as it is engaged by said movable member, anti-' frictionmearis engageable with-the ,wire after it,

has been gmarked, and means on the movable membercooperable with said anti frictionmeans I I V I in. additionally.

pressing the. markers the wire,

I 6. In combination, arotor engageable with a, longitudinally advancing wire, means for tially clamping a marker, about said wire as it passes over said rotor, a roller engageable with the wire afterit has been marked for addition ally pressing the markers on thewire, and means for movingsaidroller out of engaging position.

7. In combination, a movable member engageable with a longitudinally advancing Wire, means as it is' engaged by said movable member, antifriction means engageable with the. wire while still engaged by said movable member foraddi- .tionally pressing the markers thereon, and means for moving said anti-'frictionmeans out of engaging position.

8., A wire marking apparatus comprising a ro- 'tatable reel for wire to be marked, a reel onwhich 150 wire from said first reel isadapted'to be wound,

for initially clamping a marker about said wire I means interposed between said two reels over which thewire is advanced for clamping markers at intervals thereon, and means for transmitting motion to said winding reel including a pulley and a driving belt, said belt being-adjusted to provide for slippage on the pulley to' compensate for the varying diameter of the winding reel as the wire is wound thereon.

9. In combination, a rotor engageable with'a longitudinally. advancing wire, means carried by said rotor for clamping a marker about said wire during revolution of the rotor, means for feeding marking material to said clamping means, actuating mechanism for said clamping means, actuating mechanism for said feeding means, and a common means for imparting movement to said two actuating mechanisms.

IO/In combination, a movable member engageable with a longitudinally advancing wire, means cooperable with said movable member for initially and finally clamping a marker about said wire while said movable member is engaged therewith, means for feeding marking material to said clamping means, actuating mechanism for said clamping means, actuating mechanism for said feeding means, and a common means mechanisms.

for imparting movement to said two actuating 11. In combination, a pair of relatively fixed and movable supporting members, one of said members having a cam groove therein and the other of said members being engageable with a longitudinally advancing wire, means carried by said latter member for clamping markers about said wire, means for feeding marking material to said clamping means, and actuating mechanism for said clamping means and for said feeding means engageable with said cam groove of the first mentioned supporting member.

'12. In combination, a fixed supporting member having a cam groove-thereinga rotor revolubly mounted on' said support and engageable with a longitudinally advancing wire, means carried by said rotor for clamping a marker about said wire during revolution of the motor, means for feeding marking material to said clamping means, and actuating mechanism for said clamping means and for said feeding means engageable with said cam groove of the support and driven thereby during revolution of the rotor.

, able with a longitudinally advancing Wire, said rotor having a slot therein,'means carried by the rotor for clamping a marker about said Wire during revolution of the rotor, means for feeding marking material to said clamping means, a pair of blocks 'slidable in the slot of said rotor, a cam follower carried by each block andengageable with the cam groove of the support, and means between said slidable blocks and the ciamping and feeding means for actuating the latter during revolution of the rotor.

14. In combination, a movable member engage able with a longitudinallyadvancing wire, means carried by said movable member for initially clamping a marker about said wire While travelling longitudinally about said member, and anti-friction means engageable with the wire while still coacting with said movable member for subsequently additionally pressing the markers thereon.

15. In combination, a rotor engageable with a longitudinally advancing wire, means carriedby said rotor for initially clamping a metallic marker about said wire during each revolution of said rotor, and other means independent of said clamp-- ing means engageable with the wire after it has been marked for additionally pressing the markers on the wire. 16. In combination, a fixed supporting memher having a cam groove therein, a rotor revolubly mounted on said support and engageable with a longitudinally advancing wire,-means carried by said rotor for clamping a marker about said wire during each revolution of the rotor, means for feeding marking material to said clamping means, and actuating mechanism for said clamp ing means and for said feeding means'engageable with said cam groove of the support and driven thereby during revolution of the rotor.

1'7. In combination, a rotor peripherally engageable with a wire while in motion, means carried by said rotor for initially clamping a marker about the wire while travelling around said rotor, and other'means cooperable with said rotor for subsequently further clamping the marker on the wire.

18. In combination, a movable member engageable with a wire while in motion, means carried bysaid movable member forinitially pressing a marker against the wire while travelling longitudinally about saidmember, and other means c0- operable directly with said movable member for subsequently further pressing the marker against the wire. v

' CLARENCE P. BERQLZHEIMER.

KARL H. ANDREN. 

